Tag: Korean Consonants

  • All Hangul Alphabet

    All Hangul Alphabet

    How Many Letters Are There – All Hangul Alphabet?

    If you’re just starting to learn Korean, one of the first questions you’ll ask about the all Hangul alphabet is: How many letters are in the Korean alphabet? The answer might surprise you.

    Koreans call their writing system Hangul. It’s known for being logical and learner-friendly. Unlike other East Asian scripts that require memorizing thousands of characters, Hangul is made up of a fixed set of letters called jamo.

    Before Hangul, Koreans used the same alphabet as China, but most Koreans could not read or write. King Sejong created Hangul so that everyone in his Kingdom could read and write Korean.

    So how many are there in total?

    The basic Hangul alphabet consists of 24 letters:

    • 14 consonants
    • 10 vowels

    All Hangul Alphabet – The Full Number

    These form the foundation of Korean reading and writing. But there’s more. When you include double consonants and combined vowels, you reach the complete set of 40 sounds. That’s why some learners refer to the “all Hangul alphabet” as having 40 elements.

    Here’s the full breakdown:

    • 14 basic consonants (like ㄱ, ㄴ, ㄷ)
    • 5 double consonants (like ㄲ, ㅃ)
    • 10 basic vowels (like ㅏ, ㅓ, ㅣ)
    • 11 combined vowels (like ㅘ, ㅢ)

    Each letter has a single, consistent sound—one letter, one sound. This makes Hangul a phonetic system, ideal for beginners.

    If you can recognize these 40 symbols, you can begin sounding out real Korean words—even if you don’t know what they mean yet. That’s why the “all Hangul alphabet” is such a powerful first step.

    Ready to get started? Learn the 24 basics first, then move on to combinations. You don’t need to memorize thousands of characters—just 40 clear sounds that unlock an entire language.

    How many have you mastered? Let us know in the comments below.

    Ready for More?

    Of course, this is just the beginning. We’ve created a full list of 100+ K-Drama words and expressions, organized by category and matched with flashcards.

    So if you’ve ever wanted to understand what they’re really saying in your favorite scenes, this is the easiest way to start.

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  • How to Write V in Korean Hangul (Even Though It Doesn’t Exist)

    How to Write V in Korean Hangul (Even Though It Doesn’t Exist)

    If you’re trying to write V in Korean Hangul, you’ll quickly hit a wall. Why? It’s because there’s no V sound in Hangul.

    But that doesn’t mean Koreans never say V-sounding words. They just adapt them using the closest sounds available in the Korean alphabet.

    Let’s break it down.

    Why You Can’t Write V in Korean Hangul

    Hangul, the Korean writing system, was created in the 15th century. It was designed to match the sounds of the Korean language—and Korean has no native “V” sound.

    That’s why even today, modern Korean learners have to work around the V using other sounds in the Hangul set.

    The Common Substitution: ㅂ (B Sound)

    When Korean speakers need to say a V word, they usually substitute it with the ㅂ sound, which is pronounced like a soft “B.”

    English Word Hangul Pronunciation

    Vanilla 바닐라 ba-nil-la
    Video 비디오 bi-di-o
    Voice 보이스 bo-i-seu

    As you can see, there’s no direct letter V. Instead, 바 (ba), 비 (bi), or 보 (bo) are used.

    It’s not a perfect match—but it’s close enough that Koreans understand the meaning instantly.

    If You’re Trying to Write V in Korean Hangul, How Can You Create a V Sound in Korean?

    Some speakers might try to pronounce V more accurately by forcing their bottom lip and top teeth together. But this is not natural in Korean speech patterns—and there’s no letter for it.

    Even if you force the V sound, you’ll still write it using ㅂ, because that’s the standard phonetic workaround.

    What This Means for Learners

    If you’re learning Korean and your name, nickname, or brand uses a V—don’t try to invent a new sound. Use ㅂ.

    Examples:

    • “Victoria” → 빅토리아 (Bik-to-ri-a)
    • “Television” → 텔레비전 (Tel-le-bi-jeon)

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